Kingdom Hearts is one of the most unique games to release in a long time, and the series will turn twenty years old in 2022. The ambitious crossover of many Disney and Pixar characters with those from Square Enix games as famous as Final Fantasy rapidly made Kingdom Hearts a beloved title by the masses, and that's something that still holds true after so many years. Two years ago, the third chapter in the mainline series was released (although it was the twelfth installment overall), yet there is no official talk about a potential Kingdom Hearts 4.
This leaves fans of the series hanging in there, waiting and hoping, even though new Kingdom Hearts games keep on being released like last year's Melody of Memory or Dark Road. Despite this, hardcore fans may feel nostalgic about the series and want to find other games to play to scratch that itch. With Square Enix and Disney having a fair share of new games coming out, and older titles to consider, there's a healthy list of titles to look out for.
Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is the sequel to Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, and it shares a similar combat system to that of Kingdom Hearts - particularly Kingdom Hearts 3. Players can control three characters at a time in combat with the option of dealing via melee attacks, the game's magic system, or calling the Higgledies into battle. These creatures can be found throughout the game and each of them is different. The game can currently be played on PC and PS4, but a Switch port will come on September 17, 2021.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Final Fantasy as a franchise is an obvious choice, with some characters from the series appearing in Kingdom Hearts as well including Cloud and Sephiroth. The recent remake of Final Fantasy 7 was a huge success and rightfully so, especially considering the seventh installment of the series is believed by many to be the best Final Fantasy game. Things also come full circle in a way, because Kingdom Hearts' creator, Tetsuya Nomura, worked on all of the character models for the original Final Fantasy 7 and directed its remake. The combat system is not exactly like that of Kingdom Hearts, but it blends its elements perfectly with the more typical Final Fantasy turn-based battles.
Disney Sorcerer's Arena
This is a mobile game that can work very well to feel better about Kingdom Hearts nostalgia because of its mix of turn-based combat with a healthy pool of Disney characters to unlock and use in battle. There are some very powerful teams made of characters from a single franchise, but there are also interesting combinations that players can come up with on their own. Disney Sorcerer's Arena is a great choice both because it can be played anywhere on a smartphone, and also because characters like Donald Duck and Goofy are there.
The World Ends With You
Another Tetsuya Nomura game that ended up being part of the Kingdom Hearts series is The World Ends With You, which has an interesting combat system that took advantage of the Nintendo DS touch screen options. It was later ported to Nintendo Switch by combining the functionality of the touch screen and the Joy-Cons. Some Kingdom Hearts 3 players started a fan theory about the game being connected via a multiverse to the franchise for The World Ends With You, which is getting a sequel on July 27.
Nier: Automata
The comparison between Nier: Automata and Kingdom Hearts has many fans sharing opposing views, with some stating the games have things like their narrative and combat system in common, while others beg to differ. It's likely that if Kingdom Hearts 4 actually releases at some point it could feature a crossover with Nier: Automata characters or enemies, which would be quite the sight to see. Still, many Kingdom Hearts players found that Nier: Automata did help with their nostalgia in a few ways, with some calling it a darker and more mature take on the Disney and Square Enix classic.
Devil May Cry 5
The Devil May Cry game released in 2019 is a different take on the series in a few ways, while also staying true to its roots. Devil May Cry 5 features three protagonists in the form of the legendary Dante, Nero, and V, each with their own playstyle and progression path. Vergil also comes back as a playable character in the game's Special Edition, which adds to the nostalgia in a different way, because he always was a beloved character for Devil May Cry fans.
Eternal Sonata
Eternal Sonata was released for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, and as such it may be hard for some players to find a way to play it nowadays. Regardless, it tells the story of the famous pianist Chopin in a fantasy world dreamed by the artist in his last hours of life, and players can control a few selected characters from a team of 12 - including Chopin himself. It is a healthy mix of action game mechanics and turn-based battles, where characters and attacks have links to music, and all of them have their names based on musical terminology.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
While this may seem like a strange entry, there's a lot more in common between Kingdom Hearts games and Ratchet and Clank titles than meets the eye. The combat system is not so different from that of Kingdom Hearts, and especially so when using Ratchet's melee weapon, the Omniwrench. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart also features a cool Kingdom Hearts reference, as the Omniwrench's aesthetics can be swapped for Sora's Keyblade.